Intl Society of Arthroscopy Knee Surgery and Orthopaedic Sports Med
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
A NONPROFIT CORPORATION WHOSE PURPOSE IS TO ADVANCE THE WORLDWIDE EXCHANGE AND DISSEMINATION OF EDUCATION, RESEARCH AND PATIENT CARE IN ARTHROSCOPY, KNEE SURGERY AND ORTHOPAEDIC SPORTS MEDICINE.
- Income
- $2.2 million
- Spending
- $2.8 million
- Spent on programs
- 75%
- Reserves
- 47.2 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- fees for its services, 61%
- Employees
- 8
- Volunteers
- 26
- Highest pay
- $385,684, ceo-executive director
Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2024, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Financial health
Fair: 66 out of 100. Higher than 28% of charities in its peer group (diseases, $1m to $10m).
Reserves
35 of 35Spendable reserves would cover 47.2 months of spending.
Debt
16 of 20It owes 16% of what it owns.
Living within its means
0 of 15Spending exceeded income by 26% of income.
Income trend
0 of 15Income fell 56% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1575% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 0 cents.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2024, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Governance
Strong: 100 out of 100. Higher than 61% of charities in its peer group (diseases, $1m to $10m).
Independent board
25 of 2514 of 14 voting board members are independent.
Conflict of interest policy
15 of 15Has a written conflict of interest policy.
Whistleblower policy
8 of 8Has a written whistleblower policy.
Record keeping policy
7 of 7Has a written policy on keeping and destroying records.
Board minutes
5 of 5Keeps minutes of board meetings.
Board sees the tax return
10 of 10Gave the board a copy of this return before filing it.
Pay set independently
5 of 5Sets its chief executive's pay through independent review and comparison.
Independent check of accounts
15 of 15Its accounts were audited by an independent accountant.
No reported misuse
10 of 10Reports no diversion of assets, excess benefits or loans to insiders.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2024, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Impact evidence
Describes programs. Its tax return describes what it does but we have found no measurable results in it.
Programs described in its return (3)
- $1.0 million spent. IKAF: IKAF 2024, THE ISAKOS KNEE ARTHROPLASTY FORUM HELD IN KYOTO, JAPAN FROM OCTOBER 31 TO NOVEMBER 1, BROUGHT TOGETHER 300+ SURGEONS, SPECIALISTS, AND GLOBAL LEADERS TO FOCUS ON THE LATEST ADVANCEMENTS IN KNEE ARTHROPLASTY. THIS DEDICATED EDUCATIONAL EVENT CREATED A UNIQUE ENVIRONMENT FOR ATTENDEES TO EXCHANGE IDEAS, LEARN NEW TECHNIQUES, AND DISCUSS CHALLENGES AND INNOVATIONS IN THE FIELD. OVER TWO CONTENTPACKED DAYS, PARTICIPANTS ENGAGED IN EXPERT LECTURES, INTERACTIVE PANEL DISCUSSIONS, CASE-BASED PRESENTATIONS, AND DEBATES ONCONTROVERSIES SUCH AS WHETHER EQUAL MEDIAL-LATERAL BALANCE IS STILL THE GOAL IN 2024. HANDS-ON VIDEO DEMONSTRATIONS, SMALL-GROUP "MEET THE EXPERT" SESSIONS, AND DISCUSSIONS PROVIDED A PRACTICAL FOCUS ON CHALLENGING CASES. CUTTING-EDGE TOPICS INCLUDING ROBOTIC-ASSISTEDSYSTEMS, ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE, AND EVOLVING IMPLANT TECHNOLOGIES WERE ALSO HIGHLIGHTED. WITH ITS GLOBAL FACULTY, INTERACTIVE FORMATS, AND TARGETED SCOPE, IKAF 2024 DELIVERED A HIGH-IMPACT PROGRAM THAT ADVANCED KNOWLEDGE AND FOSTERED CONNECTIONS AMONG EARLY-CAREER SURGEONS AND ESTABLISHED EXPERTS ALIKE.
- $443,443 spent. EDUCATION & RESEARCH: IN 2024, ISAKOS EDUCATIONAL AND RESEARCH PROGRAMS DELIVERED WORLDCLASSOPPORTUNITIES FOR SURGEONS TO ADVANCE THEIR KNOWLEDGE AND SKILLS WHILE FOSTERING HIGH-QUALITY INTERNATIONAL RESEARCH. PROGRAMS FEATURED A WIDE RANGE OF EDUCATIONAL FORMATSFROM STIMULATING SURGICAL DEMONSTRATIONS AND SMALL-GROUP "MEET THE EXPERT" SESSIONSTO CASE-BASED PRESENTATIONS, DEBATES ON CURRENT CONTROVERSIES, AND INTERACTIVE LECTURES AND ICLSDESIGNED TO ENGAGE AND INSPIRE. THOUSANDS OF SURGEONS WORLDWIDE PARTICIPATED IN COURSES THAT INCLUDED HANDS-ON SURGICAL SKILLS TRAINING, VIRTUAL SESSIONS, AND INPERSON MEETINGS LED BY RENOWNED ISAKOS PHYSICIAN LEADERS. THE MONTHLY ISAKOS WEBINAR SERIES, CURATED BY ISAKOS CLINICAL COMMITTEES AND LED BY INTERNATIONAL EXPERTS, DREW LIVE PARTICIPATION FROM MORE THAN 4,000 PROFESSIONALS ACROSS A BROAD SPECTRUM OF TOPICS. TO FURTHER ADVANCE SCIENTIFIC DISCOVERY, ISAKOS AWARDED $180,000 IN RESEARCH GRANTS, SUPPORTING HIGH-QUALITY PROJECTS IN KNEE SURGERY, SPORTS MEDICINE, AND ARTHROSCOPY. THESE COMPETITIVE GRANTS ENCOMPASSED FUNDING FOR NEW RESEARCHERS AND FOR THOSE WORKING IN RESOURCELIMITED COUNTRIES, ENSURING BROAD AND MEANINGFUL IMPACT. COMPLEMENTING THIS, ISAKOS FELLOWSHIPS OFFERED YOUNG PROFESSIONALS INVALUABLE OPPORTUNITIES TO OBSERVE WORLD-CLASS ORTHOPAEDIC SURGERIES, ENGAGE IN IN-DEPTH DISCUSSIONS ON PATIENT MANAGEMENT, AND COLLABORATE ON RESEARCH INITIATIVES. THE YOUNG INVESTIGATOR SCHOLARSHIP AND RESEARCH MENTORING PROGRAM FURTHER SUPPORTED EARLY-CAREER SURGEONS, WITH A PARTICULAR FOCUS ON DEVELOPING COUNTRIES, BY FOSTERING MENTOR-MENTEE RELATIONSHIPS, STIMULATING RESEARCH AND EDUCATION, AND PROMOTING ACADEMIC EXCELLENCE. THROUGH THESE INITIATIVES, ISAKOS CONTINUED TO BUILD A VIBRANT GLOBAL COMMUNITY COMMITTED TO ADVANCING ARTHROSCOPY, KNEE SURGERY, AND ORTHOPAEDIC SPORTS MEDICINE.
- $595,611 spent. JISAKOS/PUBLISHING: THE JOURNAL OF ISAKOS (JISAKOS), AN OPEN-ACCESS, PEER-REVIEWED PUBLICATION, PROVIDED ORTHOPAEDIC SURGEONS WORLDWIDE WITH THE LATEST RESEARCH AND EVIDENCE-BASED GUIDELINES IN SPORTS MEDICINE, TRAUMATOLOGY, AND JOINT DISORDERS. IN 2024, MORE THAN 250 ARTICLES WERE PUBLISHED, MAKING JISAKOS A CRUCIAL RESOURCE FOR CLINICIANS. TO EXPAND GLOBAL PARTICIPATION, ISAKOS LAUNCHED THE JISAKOS "EXCELLENCE IN AUTHORSHIP" PROGRAM, WHICH OFFERS MENTORSHIP, METHODOLOGY SUPPORT, FEE WAIVERS, AND WEBINARS FOR RESEARCHERS IN LOW- AND MIDDLE-INCOMECOUNTRIES, WITH UP TO $30,000 INVESTED BIENNALLY. IN ADDITION, ISAKOS PUBLISHED BOOKS AND NEWSLETTERS, BRINGING ITS LIBRARY TO MORE THAN 40 TITLES, WITH NEARLY 5,000 NEWSLETTER VIEWS IN 2024. THESE EFFORTS ADVANCE GLOBAL RESEARCH, EDUCATION, AND PATIENT CARE.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2024, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Legitimacy checks
Is it registered with the IRS? Passed.
Listed in the IRS master file of tax-exempt organizations as a 501(c)(3) charitable organization.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.
Has the IRS revoked its tax-exempt status? Passed.
Not on the IRS automatic revocation list.
Source: Automatic revocation of exemption list, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.
Are donations tax-deductible? Passed.
On the IRS list of organizations eligible to receive tax-deductible contributions.
Source: Publication 78 data: organizations eligible for tax-deductible contributions, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.
Is it keeping up with its IRS filings? Passed.
Most recent return on file covers the year ending December 2024.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.
How long has it been tax-exempt? Passed.
Recognized by the IRS since April 1983.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.
Is it in good standing with state regulators? Passed.
Not on California's list of charities barred from soliciting. Other states are not yet checked.
Source: May Not Operate or Solicit for Charitable Purposes list, California Attorney General, Registry of Charities and Fundraisers, file dated October 21, 2026.
Ratings and checks are our reading of public records, using the published method. They are not a statement about anyone's honesty. If you work for this organization, you can send corrections or results, confirm you want gifts through Veridonate, or ask to be removed from giving.